Material handling plant



Aug. 4, 1931.

c. F. BLEDSOE MATERIAL HANDLING PLANT Filed June 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

' g- 4 1931- c. F. BLEDSOE Iv 1,817,343

MATERI AL HANDLING PLANT Filed June 21; 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -CarZ (Yflilealsoe.

Patented u 4, 1931 OECHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A ooRroR -TIonoF- LLIN s :MATE IAL Haun ing, gnu

'Application filed June 21,

Jnarily with the means for guiding and supporting the hoisting bucket so that it may Joe dumped upon the same side of the tower (as'the feeding hopper.

The invention comprises the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and more fully and particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar .features in the different views:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view '20 through the hoisting tower and pit, showing parts in elevation and involving this invention. 7

Figure 2 1s an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the tower taken at the dumping station.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken upon the line III-III of Figure 1.

In the drawings there is shown a vertical hoisting tower, which may be of any wellknown structure. Adjacent one side of this tower there is a feeding hopper l which is adapted for feeding material to a hoisting bucket 2. The hoisting bucket 2 is connected by means of a pair of links 3 to a bail 4. A pair of rollers 5 is journalled upon each side of the bail 4 and these'rollers are guided for traveling movement in a pair of guides 6 which are supported in the vertical tower and which extend into the pit,

"40 where the same are 'providedwith inclined portions, which extend beneath the hopper 1. In the present instance, the guides 6 are shown in the form of channels in which the rollers 5 are adapted to fit for rolling movement.

19 9. Seria1'No.'3?2,627l I p v p f Upon the sides" of theibucketQ are lateral rollers 7 which are. mounted coaXially with the pivot-point of the links 3. These rollers 7 are adapted to travel in guideways form 1 ed by one flange of the channel guidesfi andthe flange of a rail 8, which-extends alongside oneoffthe channel guides fii It will be note'd' that the; guides-formed by the 'channel 6- and the rails "8 are narrower in H.

the'vertical portion thereof than in the inclined portion. Thfis'is-for the purpose of allowing the hoistingbucket ito remain in upright position; at all times. The rails'S extend to an intermediate point inthe tower, where they are curvedoutwardly upon that side of the tower where the hopper 1 is located." The cur'ved'portions of' thefrails 8 at the dumping station are united with curvedpieces 9 extending from thejguides 6. The curvedpieces 9 extend downwardly UNITED "ST TES -I? A ENT 59F i CARL F. BLEDSOE, or cmoneo, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOBITO OGLE coNsrRuozrioNooMrA'Ny,

andnnite with the rails "8 'to'forml 'a closed guideway to limit the outward movement; of" thebucketfwhenit' is beingdumpedl;

Upon the forward'part of the1bucket,-there each side for travelling 'uponYthe" track 8 and maintaining the bucketin upright position'j-u-Ponthe inclined portions of the track.

The'rollers 11 are" adapted to travelupon the flange of the track orrail 8 until the rollers begin to travel in the curved por are ,journalled a pair of rollers 11, one on tions of the guidewayformed between the rail 8 and the guides -At this -poin t','the rollersfllleave the.

track S andeng'agein anchorloops 12. which in connecti nY' ith the curved portions of the'g-uides for the buckets cause the same to revolve and dump its contents as shown in dotted lines in Figure '1. When the bucket descends, the rollers ll willtravelidly adjacent the I track 8 and when the bucket reaches the inclined portions of the guides,

maintaining the bucket in upright position, To this end it will be noted thatthe rails.

the. rollers 7 *will contact the -railsy8-for' 8 are spaced further from the guides 6 at the lower inclined portion thereof than at the vertical portion thereof for the purpose of allowing the bucket to swing around the curve in upright position. The lower ends of the guides 6 are provided with stop abutments 13 (Figure 1) that approach the rails 8. In descending, the rollers 7 on the bucket are arrested by these abutments.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus involving this invention, supports the bucket in upright position and dumps the same from the same side of the tower as the bucket receives its load. This will make it possible to coal an engine upon the tracks which pass over the hopper. It will be further appreciated that the apparatus is very simple and eflicient especially from the standpoint of operation.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a material handling plant, two pair of adjacentguide ways having lower inclined portions, one pair of said guideways terminating at its upper end in outwardly curved portions extending in the same general direction as the lower inclined portions, a bucket having rollers traveling in the guideways having the curved terminals, a bail having rollers traveling in the other guideways, links connecting said bail and bucket, rollers on the forward part of said bucket and means for guiding said last mentioned rollers.

2. In a material handling plant having a feeding hopper upon one side, a pair of opposite guides having inclined portions leading to said feeding hopper, a rail adjacent each guide and forming a guideway therewith, abucket having rollers adapted for traveling upon said rails and rollers traveling in said guideways, a bail having rollers traveling in said guides, links connecting said bail and bucket, and means whereby said bucket is dumped upon the same side as said feeding hopper.

3. In a material handling plant, a pair of guides having vertical portions and downwardly inclined portions, a rail adjacent each guide and forming a guideway therewith, a bail having rollers traveling in said guides, a bucket having rollers traveling upon said rails and rollers traveling in said guideways and links connecting said bail and bucket.

4. In a material handling plant, a pair of opposed channel guides having vertical portions and laterally inclined portions, a rail adjacent each guide and forming a guide way therewith, a bail having rollers County, Illinois.

CARL F. BLEDSOE. 

